Electrical outlets for supplying electrical power to appliances and machines are common fixtures in homes and buildings. A persistent danger associated with electrical outlets is that children may insert their fingers or other objects into the openings of electrical outlets and be injured or killed or may cause injury to their surroundings. This is a particular risk when nothing is plugged into the openings of the outlets, making them inviting targets for children's curiosity.
Because of this danger, many safety devices have been created to limit children's access to the openings in these outlets. For example, plastic safety plugs with prongs that fit snugly into the openings are readily available on the market. Typically parents or other responsible persons insert the safety plugs into electrical outlets, and the plugs fit securely enough that small children have difficulty removing them from the openings with their fingers. Unfortunately one should never underestimate the resourcefulness of small children, who may remove safety plugs with scissors, knives, paperclips, or other tools and so place themselves in danger. Merely by being visible, safety plugs may themselves be taken as a challenge for removal by some children.
Other safety devices for electrical outlets are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,842 for Menninga provides a base plate with apertures to replace the conventional face plate of an electrical outlet and a box-like outer cover that locks over the base plate, with openings for passage of an electric cord. A stop bar blocks access to the outlet by children, and the locks on the device are covered by the outer cover and can be released only by an external, magnetic force. Although this device offers substantial protection for children, it may be difficult and awkward to use in some circumstances. For example, a user may need to remove the outer cover quickly to insert a power cord but may not have the required magnetic force at hand.
Therefore there is a need for an electrical outlet safety cover with a sliding plate and spring-loaded catches to securely limit children's access to the empty openings in an electrical outlet but to offer quick and easy access to responsible users.